Garment-stay



(No Model.)

N. J. WILKINS. GARMENT STAY- Patented Feb. 11, 1896.

UNirEn STATES ATENT OFFICE.

NELLIE J. VVILKINS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

GARMENT-STAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,385, dated February 11, 1896. Application filed May 24:, 1895. Serial No. 550,531. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, NELLIE J. VVILKINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have in vented certain new and useful Improvementsin Stays; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and tothe letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in stays for corsets, dresses and sleeves, and especially to a combination-stay made up of a stripof steel, aluminum or any other suitable metal, which is made quite thin and backed up with a thicker strip of rubber, which is adapted to form a cushion for the metallic strip, which Will obviate any breaking of the metallic portion when the two strips of metal and rubber are incased in a fabric covering and tightly held together, it being my purpose to insert these stays with the steel or other metallic surface next to the dress onthe outside.

It has been demonstrated that where a rubber strip alone is used in skirts it proved to be too flexible, and that where a metallic stay is used alone it is likely to break; but with the rubbercushion held to the metallic strip these objections are overcome.

To these ends and to such others as the invention may pertain, the same consists further in the novel construction, combination and adaptation of the parts, as will be here inafter more fully described and then specifically defined in the appended claim.

I clearly illustrate my invention in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which drawings similar letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views, in which- Figure 1 is a section of a skirt with parts broken away to better show the stays carried therein. Fig. 2 is a detail view of the rubber cushion and the metallic strip separated; and Fig. 3 is a cross-section through the rubber, the metallic strip, and the covering or pocket for the same. Fig. i is a longitudinal section showing the stay bent at an angle.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates a thin strip of metal of any suitable kind, as steel, aluminum, &c., and B is a strip of unvulcanized soft rubber, thicker than the metallic strip, so as to serve as a cushion for the metallic strip.

O is a pocket or casing covering the rubber cushion and the steel or metallic strip snugly, so that they will not be allowed to turn sidewise, and the strips are so inserted in the pockets or lining of a skirt or other garment that the metallic portion will come on the outer side of the dress or other garment and the said metal strip be prevented from breakin g even though the rubber cushion-strips are bent upon themselves.

It is my purpose to make these stays of various Widths, and, if desirable, from aluminum when the stays are to be of an extra Width; but the matter of the size or width is immaterial.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim to be new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The composite stay herein described for garments, the same comprising the thin resilient metallic body and a thick soft rubber body having coincident surfaces secured face to face throughout their entire length, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NELLIE J. WILKINS.

Witnesses:

ROWENA CLARY, KATHERINE E. DAVOREN. 

